Albion defender Ezequiel Schelotto could stay at the club after all - at least until January.

But he will not be playing for them in the Premier League.

A projected season-long loan move to a Championship club for Schelotto is now unlikely to happen before today’s 5pm deadline, the Argus understands.

Richie Towell is, however, expected to complete his season-long loan return to Rotherham.

Albion’s signing of Martin Montoya just before the Premier League transfer window closed earlier this month relegated Schelotto to third-choice right-back behind the Spaniard and skipper Bruno.

Schelotto is not in the Seagulls’ 25-man Premier League squad, officially confirmed tomorrow, but there is a spot for young central defender Ben Barclay who made his debut on Tuesday against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.

Albion have not ruled out a late swoop from abroad for Schelotto, signed from Sporting Lisbon a year ago.

The 29-year-old’s immediate future is complicated by the diverse transfer widows across Europe. The window in Portugal, for example, does not shut until next month.

Albion owner-chairman Tony Bloom wants the rest of Europe to fall in line with the Premier League.

The Seagulls backed a change for Premier League clubs which saw the window close on August 9, two days before the start of the season.

It has stayed open in most other European countries until today, leaving England’s elite 20 in theory vulnerable to players moving abroad.

Bloom said: “This change has been a big talking point and is one that we supported at the time and continue to support.

“It makes a lot of sense for the best league in the world to make a stand and ensure each team’s squad is confirmed before the first game, enabling everyone to focus from the start of the season on the football and not on transfer speculation.

“I hope that the other major league follow suit next year so that Premier League clubs are not disadvantaged versus their European counterparts.”